(T)orc of war

Dokan finds himself in a strange situation. Surrounded by friendly orcs and a trusted ally of their new chief.

Orestes: Chief of the Broken lance tribe.

Aurelius and Orestes are starting to discuss their immediate future when the entrance to the tent opens up and the hulking Bodan strides in.

‘I am here to pay homage to my new chief!’

Bodan was named after his father: Konan, a great, savage warrior and Bodush: The evil human sorcerer that infamously killed hundreds of orcs in the battle that destroyed the Broken lance clan. Scores of children were killed that day. Children that would never be avenged.

As the mighty Bodan bows, a diminutive gnome is revealed behind him.

Gauss smiles nervously as they’re both ushered to sit with the others.

Ale flows and soon the conversation turns to war.

War against Thereanthor and war against the Blue prince.

Orestes speaks of the possibility of leading his new army against the Blue prince…

‘Outrageous!’ squeaks the gnome.

‘This was never part of our plan. You would alert Thereanthor of our machinations and bring ruin to us all!’

The gnome looks to the others for support but finds none.

Bodan is already smiling at the prospect of battle. 
‘For so long, I have battled alone. Killing Dragon-borns and Black-cloaks wherever I could. But always small scale for I lacked any support. Now though, perhaps I can cause the accursed Thereanthor more trouble…’

Votton and Elige nod in agreement and Gauss looks horrified.

‘No! I forbid it!’

At this, Aurelius looks annoyed.

‘You ‘forbid’ it do you? Although I appreciate what you’ve done for us, never forget who and what we are. We are the Broken lance clan. We are warriors born. We are reunited at last and we have a strong leader. We are your friends but we are not your servants.’

Gauss cowers under Aurelius’ gaze before the grizzled orc continues.

‘The Blue prince now knows for certain that there is a gathering of the orcs. A large gathering. If we all flee, he or his bitch mother will hunt us down… If a large number of us fight though…’

Aurelius stops as he considers the situation but Gauss interrupts.

‘What you’re offering is a distraction while we evacuate the camp? This actually isn’t a bad proposition. Let me broker it with my superiors.’

And with that, Gauss leaves the tent.

Bodan laughs. ‘I like the little fellow but surely the Gnomes opinion has no baring on what we’re going to do.’

‘No’ agrees Aurelius, ‘But it doesn’t hurt to keep our friends contented’.

Orestes looks at his two generals, his human and tiefling friends and the orcs in his tent.

His orcs.

All told, he’s got over four hundred orcs willing to fight for him.

Willing to die for him!

Should he risk them in a battle against the Blue prince or should he lead them to the safety of Mount Sneafang?

He hasn’t even been officially crowned yet but responsibility already feels heavy on his brow.

The best laid planes of hamsters and gnomes

Date: One year ago (approximately).

Location: Mount Sneafang.

Gerromy read the report with alarm.

‘Thereanthor’s moved one of her children into Khajag?!’

Although young, Gerromy had defeated the arrogant interloper Lucas in the battle for leadership. The young gnomes simply hadn’t trusted the psionic, older gnome and, although still an advisor, he was viewed with suspicion.

‘This is a disaster! The magical messages have been sent out and we’ve no way to recall them.’

Standing up and starting to pace, Gerromy tries to think while his inner circle of advisors look shell-shocked.

‘It’s too late to do anything about it now. It’s just one of several sites and we’ll just have to hope that our protective magics will keep them safe until they can move out’.

A New World Order

After ordering all the remaining Gnomes and the surviving Vedics to assemble in the main amphitheatre, Gerromy strides boldly up to the central lectern.
Coughing slightly, he addresses the hundreds of faces present.
Faces hungry for new leadership…
“Friends, Gnomans, Hamstermen…”

An Uncharacteristically Happy Ending!

Slowing down as he approaches them, Vogir waves to the approaching crowd.
“Welcome back friends! I’m so glad you made it. Petra and Vin explained that you’d come after me. I’m so sorry I didn’t wait a day longer.”
Vogir sweats for a moment as he waits for the coming response.
“Where did you get to Human?”
Grateful that it’s Ghanash that replies, Vogir explains that he’d waited as long as he could and eventually led a small group of Gnomes to sneak into the mountain and spirit away the captive Gnomes of the village.
Vogir repeatedly thanks the group for coming and congratulates them all on successfully rescuing so many of the Gnomish prisoners.
After escorting everyone back, the Party and children are made welcome. Even the thirteen Human children are taken away to be washed and dressed.
A great feast is laid on and dozens of the adult Gnomes play music and organize games.
Everyone is happy.
Even Vogir smiles as he watches the laughing children.
Later on in the evening, he calls everyone over.
“Ghanash, Orestes, Rudha-an, Dokan… And you too Lukas. I have something for you.”
Pulling out a heavy wooden chest from behind him, Vogir hands out a small leather purse to each of them in turn.

They only seem to contain a score of coins, but when the bags are opened, the coins glitter like platinum!

Treasure: Everyone gets 20pp (2,000gp) each as a reward for surviving and successfully rescuing the Gnomish children!

Experience: Everyone is 11th level!

Well done everyone!
No deaths and the successful completion of your mission.
(I’m pretty impressed and have to grumblingly admit that 4th edition does ‘encourage’ teamwork.)
;)

Change at the (Mountain)top

Standing wounded and burnt in the would-be throne room of High Vedic Liebniz, Orestes, Dokan, Ghanash and Rudha-an look around themselves.
The rat-faced leader of the Vedics lies dead in the flames of the still raging furnace. Both the burly guards and one of the flaming orb throwers from the balcony are also beyond saving. The remaining Vedics seem to have had the fight taken out of them at the sight of their supreme leader having to resort to using the now idle automaton.
Dokan prods it cautiously, but after its initial assault, it now stands silent.
A cough from behind, reminds them of the collection of Gnomish children as well as the ginger furred Head librarian: Godel and the turncoat: Gauss.
Gerromy, the seemingly eldest of the Gnome ‘teenagers’ coughs again.
‘Er… Before you slaughter any more of the Vedics, you may want to consider what the best solution for the future is…’
As soon as it’s established that the Vedics have surrendered, Lukas turns up with his not-so-merry band of Human children atop a floating wooden door.
After much debating, it is agreed that whatever Gnome children want to leave with the adventurers can, but whoever wants to stay will equally be allowed to.
The Vedics themselves will work with the older Gnomes to continue their work, but without the use of any additional Human children. The Human children already converted will be rehabilitated as best as possible and treated in a more ‘Gnomane’ way from now onwards.
Head Librarian Godel offers them the military equipment on ex-high Vedic Liebniz’ body plus any thing they want form his private safe.
On looking they take it all, realizing the value and that some of it might be useful.
The Party can hardly believe the change in demeanor that’s come over the Vedics. These clever if not powerful warriors seem to convert into butlers and servants with a shrug of their furry shoulders.
The adventures wash, eat and rest as the Gnomes decide amongst themselves, who will stay and who will go.
It’s early on the third day when the five adventures travel out through the stunningly crafted upper levels to the main, mountaintop entrance.
Each of them is momentarily blinded the brilliant arcs of electricity as the large hatch is opened.
It is guarded by just two Vedics manning the ‘lightning shield’ and ‘lightning cannon’. Dokan does flinch though when he passes a chained, but massive Snowlbear. He looks twice when he notices the mechanical devices surgically connected to its claws, beak and the thick, dark lenses over its eyes.
Squinting against the painful light, he even wishes he had a set of them himself!
It takes five days to walk the downward journey back to Finklestone and although none of the thirty-eight Gnomes are originally from there, they all wanted to leave Mount Snaefang. All the Finklestone Gnomes escaped during the time the adventurers were battling through the Vedic forces.
The journey is relatively easy and they have at least twice the provisions they need.
It’s on the last day that they see a surprised looking Vogir riding up to meet them.

Two mace-heads are better than one

Heading towards the captive Gnomes, Pauling leads the Party along side corridors as long as he is able.
It is only when they enter a grand hallway, that Dokan realises that they’ll have no choice but to fight from here onwards. The corridor has been blocked with barrels, furniture and everything else the Vedics could get their paws on.
It’ll take hours to get through that way.
This only leaves a large ornate door leading to one of the many libraries.
With Dokan and Orestes leading the way, Dokan carefully pushes the door open…
The massive room inside is truly impressive. An octagonal shaped room with doors in four opposite walls. The walls themselves stacked with thousands of books.
The room itself cascades downward, level-by-level, like the inside of a staggered cone. Each level holding more books and tomes.
The lowest level has some sort of ornate cupboard in its centre and whatever it contains must certainly be precious.
All of the upper tiers contain human children strapped into painful looking devices. The purpose of these devices seems to be the force-feeding of information into their eyes, ears and minds. These machines are connected by entrail-like tubes and wires into eight, much more comfortable looking, chairs at the penultimate level, each of them containing young Gnomes.
This is all that Dokan can take in before his attention is pulled to the sight of the enormous, two-headed, chainmail wearing giant.
“At last; sumfing for us to hits!”

From the dead Vedics...

Spider (Crossbow) Bolts +1 x 22 Lvl: 3 (30each)
Chainmail armour x 18
Longswords x 18
Large shileds x 18
Crossbows x 18
Regular bolts x 340

A Pauling behavior

While both in awe and frightened of the strange psionic Gnome, Pauling explains what he can of High Vedic Liebniz’ plan.

“A millennium ago, our people were created by the Gnomish elders. A slave race. Our ancestry was certainly lycanthropic, but we were made to be so much more than that. The Gnomish Lords gave us the intelligence to understand their very work. To build it. To maintain it.”
Pauling falls silent for a moment before chittering on.
“But then they disappeared. Our ancestors were too timid and simply failed to seek out the truth. As a race we survived, but little more. Our salvation didn’t come until a little over a century ago. And then by the hands of a band of adventurers much like yourselves.”
The tri-coloured Vedic smiles at the irony.
“The Gnomes we discovered though weren’t the all-powerful race that they once were. They were reduced. Unimpressive. All the old knowledge had been lost to them.”
Lukas can’t help but feel a small measure of sympathy for this prostrate creature. It had been created to fulfill a purpose no longer available to it.
Lukas listens as the creature continues its tale.
“Despite our disappointment, many of us went out into the world to explore its wonders. Many died but we are fast breeders and some of us stayed to guard the wonders of the Elders.
My ancestors.
It was then that the High Vedic: Leibniz came to realize that maintaining what was there wasn’t enough. We had been created for a purpose.
To serve our Gnomish makers.
The answer was so obvious, I’m surprised it took us a hundred years to reach the conclusion.
It has become our mission and our sacred duty to raise the Gnomes to their former glory.
We have the knowledge; all we needed were the Gnomes. A few came willingly. Too few unfortunately. Not enough to make a difference.
We needed more.
We needed a lot more.
We needed them young.”

No one makes an ape of the head librarian

“They’re coming this way?” Questions the Head librarian. “Are you sure?”
The young Vedic nods at his orange furred superior. “I’m afraid so Head librarian Godel. They might go another way, but according to Pascal’s notes, this route is the invaders most likely with a probability of over sixty percent. I’ve been told that we must interrupt lessons for today.”
Looking over to the dozens of Gnomes and Humans strapped into the inculcation chairs, Godel makes a decision. “It’ll take too long to unharness them. Send for more reserves. We’re staying put. If the invaders come this way, they’ll not harm the children.”
The young Vedic scurries off to raise whatever reinforcements he can.

Scholars not soldiers

Everything is quiet as the handful of Vedics wait behind the closed door. It’s sturdy enough, but they know it won’t hold. The enemy at the bottom of the stone steps are too strong.
Panini looks around at his fellow soldiers.
“Soldiers?” he chitters under his breathe. “Hardly”.
Still, they have to hold the line as long as they can. Hold the invaders back until support can come.
Raising his voice, Panini tries to rally his troops.
“I know you’re scared. I know we can’t hope to defeat them. But we don’t have to. All we need to do is delay them. Stay alive and hamper their advance. We can do it if we’re clever, and frankly, who’s more cleverer than us?”

Digging for victory

In the tunnel, the lead Gnome glances back over his shoulder at the man crawling in the gloom behind him.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“Yes Criz, I’m sure.” responds the man. “By now, the Vedic forces will be spread too thin to stop us. Hopefully the map's correct and we can save your children while avoiding any more violence. If we do encounter any more resistance though, let me take the lead this time. You’re already wounded and I promised your wife I wouldn’t let you get killed.”
The grizzled, bald-headed Gnome scowls, but continues to move forward.
Looking at the map, he stops and rubs his well groomed beard… “Now where do we knock through again?”

Summon the Crettin!

High Vedic Liebniz is sitting on his stone throne now with his clawed fingers, white with the pressure of his grip on the rough armrests.
He looks up sharply as yet another of his minions rushes in.
“What is it now?” he chitters to his underling.
“There’s been another attack my lord.”
“Where?”
The red robed Vedic shuffles his feet nervously.
“The secondary vault.”
High Vedic Liebniz is on his feet, faster than the messenger can see,
“When? How many guards did they get past?”
“Perhaps less than half an hour ago… They killed the two guards at the vault door.”
“Only two guards? On whose order were these Vedics relocated?”
“On Pascal’s my lord. He needed them to secure the possible entrance points from the cavern below.”
High Vedic Liebniz sits back down to consider.
“Where is Pascal now?”
“Dead sir.”
High Vedic Liebniz sighs…
“Well I suppose that’s punishment enough. Tell me, who have we between us and these various factions of what now appears to be an invasion?”
“Well my lord, we have all of the Vedics stationed in strategically defensible positions, but…”
“But what?”
“Well my lord, these invaders have cut a swath through our ranks. We are not a match for them and they kill everyone they encounter… Even the slave kobolds!”
Sighing again, High Vedic Liebniz comes to a decision.
“In that case Gauss, I think it’s time our idiot earns his keep… And send the remainder of our reserve soldiers to protect the primary vault.”